


What is Learned, not Taught

by raysquared



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-15
Packaged: 2018-01-01 15:10:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1045386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raysquared/pseuds/raysquared
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you're around someone for a long time, you often inherit some of their characteristics and actions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What is Learned, not Taught

Hands flow by, tumbling, floating only to rise once again and repeat the cycle. They jab, poke and slice the air, they grasp it, they ring it, they-  
“Hey. . John?”  
John’s story comes to an abrupt stop, hands and mouth paused mid sentence. He shift his hands back down and slumps into himself comfortably, leaning on one knee with his elbow.  
“Yeah Jade?”  
“Since when have you talked with your hands?”  
John shakes an awkward laugh and rubs his hand behind his head, lolling back.  
“I don’t really know what you mean- haven’t I always-”   
“No! you most certainly have not, mister! You've picked this up somewhere, and I think i know from who.” She cheeps huffily, crossing her arms over her bosom. “You and a certain nubby-horned troll have been seeing an awful lot of each other lately-”  
John chuckles as a bit of red flushes into his cheeks.  
“Well- you know- we ARE kinda dating. . ” Hands fly up in defense “ops sorry- not kinda, we are. we’re dating.” Hands slap down beside each other, emphasizing every word ”We’re boyfriends! We’re boyfriends and we’re dating.” Johns hands fall back onto his lap, floppily.  
“We've been getting to know each other a bit better- you know the whole different species thing can get a bit confusing when you’re both just having a grand old time and your hands graze along-”  
“Whoa whoa whoa, down boy!” Jade’s hands grasp john’s and hold them still. “I reeeally don’t need to know where your hands are or will be on any person, human or troll!” Jade gives john a pitying expression “Your hands are all over the place, dufus! Now I’m gonna let go, but try to keep those hands from looking like they’re having a seizure!” she giggles.  
John lolls his head and whines.  
“Jaaaaddeeeee- I can’t help it. Until you pointed it out even after, I had no clue I was using my hands.” John whines and pulls his hands back, resorting to playing with the tip of his windsock between his fingers.  
Jade slants her head and ponders for a good few seconds before jumping excitedly “Oh! I got an idea! Let me just go get some rope and-”  
“Nope nope nope, on second thought, I don’t think i’ll be breaking this habit but uh- thanks anyway Jade!” John scampers to his feet in an attempt to back away and absconds slowly.  
“Say hi to Karkat for me!” she smiles slyly and and twirls off in a different direction.  
John rolls his eyes and slinks his hands into his pockets, dawdling around the common area, vibrant yellow shoes making a quiet sharp squeak every time his heels hit the floor.

John thought as he walked, mostly about what Jade had said. He never even noticed the difference, and was a bit unnerved at the revelation of its existence. He wondered if it meant that he was loosing who he was.  
Before he knew it, his feet had carried him to a familiar hallway. Dragging his feet, he sauntered down the hallway, lost in thought, stopping in front of the door with the cancer symbol on it.  
An exasperated, gravelly, low sigh resonates under the door from a certain red-blooded, short troll that was most likely sitting at his husktop watching the newest episode of whatever the new girly romance type show he’s into most recently.  
John shakes his head, pulls his hood back and ruffles his hair before knocking a few rhythmic taps on Karkats door, turning the knob and entering.  
More than one pair of eyes transfix on him as he walks through the door.  
“Yo, John, you’re intruding on ladies night. We can’t get our gossip girl on if you’re standing there in the doorway ogling us.” Dave’s voice rings out from a pile of blankets, shrill cackling can be heard muffled underneath him.  
“Dave, you’re not a lady.”  
Dave frowns “I am seriously offended, John. How do you know that there’s not an inner goddess in me waiting to break free? Besides, restricting ladies only to ladies night would be no fun.”  
Blankets rise and struggle is shown as a figure wriggles out of it’s confinement. The figure dusts itself off and fixes its hair, showing itself to be Karkat before he gently kicks both Dave and Terezi lightly in the ribs.  
“Alright, alright, enough. Break it up ladies. We’ll continue this another time.” He notions for them to leave and pushes Dave and Terezi a little forcefully out the door.  
“These walls are thin yanno, don’t be too loud.” Dave smirks and shuts the door behind him, not before Terezi leans over Dave’s shoulder and makes suggestive winky faces at Karkat.  
Karkat sighs, a little red in the face and does a little jump-step as he practically glides over to John and pulls him down into the blanket pile.  
“How was Gossip Girl tonight?” John chuckles a winded laugh as he curls into the smaller body around him.  
“The script was so horrible. It felt like the writers took a literal shit all over it, so yeah, the writers are all numb nuts but Blake Lively was fucking gorgeous, so, whatever.” Karkat’s hands fly off in exasperation.   
Warmth surrounds John and Karkat as they nuzzle up together, fitting like two puzzle pieces, made to fit perfectly together.  
John takes the few moments of silence to think a bit more. All his life, his traits and actions have been formed by watching the people he loved around him and imitating them. So yeah- he guessed, sure it’s true that now he talks with his hands like Karkat, but to John it was more than just an unconscious imitation. It was a piece of Karkat that had now become a part of him.   
John leans in and places a gentle kiss to Karkat’s brow before winding his arms around Karkat’s waist a holding him a little bit tighter, a little bit closer.  
John doesn't plan on losing that part of him anytime soon.

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry. This was rushed and bluh but- whatever, i like the theme. theme is good, good theme.


End file.
